BIG RAPIDS, Mich. - The long and winding road has takenthe NMU football team from Cedar Falls, Iowato Erie, Pa.and tonight to Big Rapids, Mich.ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚‚ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚ The first two stops the ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚¢ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚€ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚˜Cats could not pickup a win.ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚‚ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚ Tonight the ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚¢ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚€ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚˜Cats found waysto stay in the game and come away with a 26-14 win over FerrisState. ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚‚ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚ With the win, the first for the ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚¢ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚€ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚˜Cats on theseason, the team is now 1-2 overall and 1-1 in the GLIAC.ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚‚ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚ Ferris falls to 1-2 and 0-2 in theconference.

NMU jumped out to a 10-0 lead asKyle Marotz kicked a 43-yard field goal at 9:27of the second quarter.ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚‚ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚ Kyle Swenor wouldfollow that up with a two-yard scamper with 2:04left in the quarter.ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚‚ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚ FSU cut the ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚¢ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚€ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚˜Catslead to 10-7 when Derek Fudge found his way into the end zone from one yardout. ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚‚ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚ Marotz kicked his second field goalof the quarter when he hit it home from 50 yards out with no time left on theclock for the first half.

The Bulldogs would take the leadat 14-13 on an 87-yard sprint by Fudge at the 3:53mark of the third quarter.

The fourth quarter was all ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚¢ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚€ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚˜Catsas Abram McCoy scored the go-ahead TD seconds into the quarter at 14:56 to give NMU the lead at 19-14.ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚‚ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚ Corey Woods added an insurance TD at 9:23 for the final margin from three yards out.

The Bulldogs won the battle offirst downs at 22 to 14 and in total offense at 388 yards to 277 yards.ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚‚ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚ On the ground the Bulldogs racked up 175yards on 33 carries.ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚‚ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚ The ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚¢ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚€ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚˜Cats led byWoods and McCoy had 147 yards on 52 carries.ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚‚ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚ Woods led NMU with 64 yards on 16 carries while McCoy added 62 yards on23 carries.ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚‚ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚ Two quarterbacks combinedfor 213 yards through the air for FSU.ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚‚ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚ Swenor had 130 yards on 10-21-1on the night.

Special teams came up big for theÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚¢ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚€ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚˜Cats to stay in the game.ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚‚ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚ Marotz whohas been doing all the kicking had 10 punts for 345 yards and two fieldgoals.ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚‚ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚

The ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚¢ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚€ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚˜Cats tied a NMU record withsix interceptions on the night as six different defenders had one pickeach.ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚‚ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚ Back in 1978 the ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚¢ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚€ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚˜Cats had sixinterceptions against UW-Whitewater.ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚‚ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚ Brandon Genwright led the defense with 12 total tackles as he had agame-high nine solo tackles.ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚‚ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚ Two of histackles were for losses and he had one of the six interceptions as he ran itback for 46 yards.ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚‚ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚ Matt Shem had sixsolo tackles and an interception return for 23 yards.

The ÃƒƒÃ‚ƒÃƒ‚Ã‚¢ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚€ÃƒƒÃ‚‚Ãƒ‚Ã‚˜Cats finally have a homegame as they will face Indianapolisnext Saturday night in a 7:00 p.m.kickoff, which is Homecoming/Hall of Fame.